Bath Time
by CricketsInTheBackground
Summary: Takes place after the bath scene in chapter 20: After an excessively long and awkward bath, Benio is passed out (naked) on top of a very frightened (and naked) Rokuro… Best way to cure overheating is with a nice cool glass of LEMONade. ;)
1. Chapter 1: Ryokuro's Nosebleed

The excessive summer heat had made training a sweatier experience than usual and consequently, the Twin Star Exorcists had been more stubborn than usual. So when both Benio and Rokuro wanted to bathe first, neither were willing to back down. Even Rokuro's usual tactic of exploiting Benio's timidity towards anything remotely ecchi failed to faze the female Twin Star Exorcist. Things progressed, the stakes were raised, and the "couple" found themselves taking a bath. Together.

The flow of blood had finally been reduced to a trickle, although that wasn't my main concern at the moment. I had been injured far worse throughout the past several years (like the time I walked in on Benio bathing, or when I pointed out she's not very ladylike, or when I was caught throwing out the leftovers from her "home-cooking", etc.). Still, the amount of blood that had sprayed out of my nose was kind of impressive, and I would have been mildly concerned had I not had a more pressing issue on my hands… or on my back.

Yikes. Shouldn't have thought about it. I could vaguely feel my nosebleed intensify, but I was focusing most of my attention on the radiating heat coming from my back. At first I thought Benio was simply trying to outdo me again when she laid her naked self against my bare back. Although this last action was brazen and a bit out of character, she _had_ been testing my limits throughout the past two hours. First she had removed her towel, forcing me to follow suit. Then she had offered (with a cute blush on her face, nonetheless) to wash my back, which I was forced to graciously accept. I had been determined not to let Benio win, but I had finally conceded when I felt her water-drenched chest press into me.

Except that Benio had not rejoiced in victory as I had anticipated. In fact, quite some time had passed and she was still not moving. I could feel her breathing, her soft breasts rising and falling against my shoulder blades, so at least I knew she was alive. Still, judging by the hot, sweaty touch of her skin, I feared that she was on the verge of having a heatstroke. I needed to get her out of bathing room ASAP.

Pinching my nose with one hand in an attempt to staunch the blood flow, I tried to slowly inch myself away from Benio. Bad idea. The moment I started pulling away, I could feel Benio sliding down my back, her semi-hard nipples caressing me along the way. I stopped moving, the sensation freezing me in my tracks. Benio's breasts had stopped to rest at the base of my spine and I felt a tingling sensation sweep down to my nether regions.

"Dammit, Rokuro, get a hold of yourself. This isn't the time to be-" I gulped, staring at my crotch. "... getting an erection." Unfortunately, my body didn't feel like listening to me in that moment. Suddenly, I was even more acutely aware of Benio pressed against me. I could feel her breasts flattening against my lower back as her shallow breaths tickled my spine. Her long, silky hair brushed my buttocks and, in my lustful state, I imagined feeling her nipples harden against me. My hardened member throbbed at the thought. I imagined spinning around, grabbing her, plunging myself into her warm, tight depths. I would ravage her, slamming into her mercilessly, I would-

"Oh…"

A moan, none too sensual and all too sickly, pulled me back to the reality of the situation. I felt a wave of guilt wash over me; here was Benio, passed out from overheating and instead of helping her, I was fantasizing of fucking her, of practically _raping_ her.

But I didn't have time to brew over it. Benio moaned again, this time stirring slightly and causing the hairs on my back to bristle. I stood up quickly, wanting to distance myself from Benio before I was overwhelmed with the urge to take her. THUMP. The sound of Benio's head slapping the tiled floor made me wince and a new wave of guilt tugged at my heartstrings. I ignored it, grabbing desperately for the nearest towel.

Taking a deep breath to calm myself, I counted, "3... 2... 1!"

Whipping around, I only got a glimpse of Benio's naked backside before I threw the towel on top of her. She groaned again, fidgeting under the towel in a weak attempt to get up. I let her stop struggling, slipping back into her fitful state of unconsciousness before I gently scooped her up in my arms. I tried not to look; really, I did. But before I could cover her front side with the towel, the images of Benio's small breasts, her toned stomach, and the delicate hairs that decorated the spot in between her legs were forever etched into my memory.

Shuddering as I felt my erection grow impossibly hard, I scurried across the damp tile floor, cursing as I slipped and nearly dropped Benio for a second time. I reached for the doorknob, suddenly feeling dizzy and disoriented; now standing, I was finally feeling the full effects of my overexposure to the bath. Finally, I weakly grasped the doorknob between my pruned fingertips. Mustering my last ounce of strength, and fully aware that Benio was starting to stir and struggle in my arms, I pushed the door open and was greeted with a sweeping rush of cold air. A faint, distant, "Roku...ro?" was the last thing I heard before the cool darkness enveloped me.

That's it for chapter 1! Chapter 2 should be coming shortly. :)

~ Crickets In The Background


	2. Chapter 2: Benio's (Almost) Nosebleed

WARNING: This chapter is dark and kind of rape-y. (That being said, this is not the final chapter. There is at least one more to come and I plan to end this storyline on a happy note. ... But this chapter is not happy.)

Waking up, there were two things I was immediately aware of: one, the air was refreshingly cool, and two, a heavy weight was pressing against my chest. I opened my eyes, but quickly shut them as a blinding flash of light seared dark spots into my vision. Groaning, I turned my head to the side and slowly blinked away the black blotches.

A bit more aware, I was now feeling the full effects of my extended stay in the bath. My skin was clammy, the cool air of the hallway freezing my sweat and leaving me in a shivering heap. My head hurt and I could feel a bump forming on my brow. I was still undressed, but I was partially wrapped in a bath towel with only my cleavage (or lack thereof…) exposed.

Except, it wasn't really exposed. There was still something splayed across my chest, its weight constricting my breath. I must have sweated a considerable amount because whatever it was, it felt incredibly slick. It was also warm, which was odd because no matter how much I had overheated, it seemed unlikely that physical contact could have kept this thing at such a hot temperature for so long.

I was just about to lift my head and get a good look at whatever was on top of me when it moved. Well, to be more precise, it _breathed._ I could feel the thing swell as it inhaled, filling the gap between my pathetically small breasts. My skin felt hot, hotter than it had ever felt before as I realized what was on top of me.

"Roku...ro?"

My voice came out garbled, and I cleared my throat. I was completely conscious at this point, and I could clearly feel the contours of Rokuro's hardened chest pressing against me through the towel. He started snoring, a sound I had become quite familiar with since we first moved in together two years ago. Glancing to my right, I noticed that the bathroom door was thrown wide open, steam steadily pouring out in puffs that floated and dissipated in the fluorescent lighting of the hallway. Taking a breath, I easily surmised what had transpired. I passed out in the bathroom while washing Rokuro's back. He had tried to carry me out of the bathroom, but the heat had gotten to him as well.

The thought of a naked Rokuro carrying my unclothed self caused my temperature to rise another ten degrees. I felt like I was going to faint again, and I desperately held my breath as blood threatened to gush from my nostrils. This was no time to be getting a nosebleed.

Forcing myself to remain calm despite the panic that was swelling in my chest, I tried to wiggle out from underneath Rokuro. It was no use; he was too heavy and in my current state, I was too weak. Instead, I struggled onto my elbows, bearing the brunt of the weight on my trembling biceps. Rokuro didn't budge, his now slanted form still resting in a heap atop my chest.

"Rokuro, wake… up!" I shook him lightly, but he only snored louder. Looking at his face, I noticed a large amount of dried blood caked around his nostrils. This was rather alarming, and it occurred to me that he may actually be in need of medical attention. I had seen quite a lot of blood during my career as an exorcist, but I had never seen _that_ much blood from a nosebleed. What if the heat had caused him to have an aneurism? What if his brain was bleeding and it was leaking out through his nose? What if -

"Urgh…" Rokuro groaned, shifting his weight on my body. I froze, every muscle tensing as Rokuro brazenly put his hand on my left breast.

"Rokuro, what are you-" Before I could finish talking, Rokuro started kneading my breast, his fingers digging ruthlessly into the pale flesh.

"Ah! Rokuro, stop. Please-!"

It was no use; he wasn't hearing me. I tried to slap his hand away, but he only tightened his grip on my breast. I felt faint again, overwhelmed with the perverseness of the situation. At the same time, a sweeping sensation overcame me. I felt weak, trembly, but not in the manner I was used to. Instead of the sore, tired weakness of overexertion, I was incredibly light, as if my body were suspended in midair. It wasn't a bad sensation (in fact, it was rather pleasant), and I briefly wondered if I was having an out-of-body experience.

Any coherent thoughts I had at that moment were abruptly thrown out the window when Rokuro's lips descended upon my right nipple.

"Rokuro, wha-!'

Again, he cut me short as his tongue caressed me before he took me right into his mouth. He roughly pulled at my nipple with his teeth, causing me to cry out in a mix of pain and pleasure. His other hand had picked up the pace on my left breast, and I shuddered from the force in his touch. This wasn't like Rokuro. Although violent in battle, he had never raised a hand to me, even in the midst of our most heated arguments. No, Rokuro wasn't like this, he wasn't this, this _savage_. The way he was touching me was so rough, and I could feel my breasts aching. The soreness was starting to penetrate the throes of pleasure, and I once again tried to pry Rokuro off of me. When that failed (once again), I tried pleading with him.

"Rokuro, stop this, I know you're not asleep, just let me go-"

But he was asleep; I could tell by the empty expression in his half-open eyes. He was sleepwalking. Or more accurately, he was sleep-molesting.

At this point, I was terrified, although I was having trouble remembering that as Rokuro continued to set my nerves on fire. It wasn't until Rokuro started stroking my inner thighs that I finally snapped out of my pleasure-filled daze.

"Rokuro, no, stop. This ends now, don't touch me... there!"

Without further ado, Rokuro started stroking my entrance as I felt my juices come leaking out of me. This wasn't good. At this rate, he could really rape me. But his touch, the way his fingers caressed my nether lips, was driving me crazy. I cried out, a seductive moan that sounded alien to me. Gently, almost lovingly, Rokuro parted my folds and started massaging my opening. I groaned, his teasing almost pushing me over the edge. I didn't want this, I didn't want this, but Kami, I didn't want him to stop.

And he didn't stop. As sudden as his mouth had descended upon my breast, Rokuro thrusted not one, but two fingers inside of me. I felt something rip, a sharp pain that caused me to tense up. I cried out, but this time, it wasn't because of pleasure.

"Rokuro, stop, it… hurts!"

He didn't stop, his fingers relentlessly pounding into me as tears formed in the corners of my eyes. The pain was increasing, and I was fairly certain that I was bleeding. This wasn't right, this wasn't what I wanted. The tears were falling freely now, and I desperately hit Rokuro with my fists, trying to wake him from his violent slumber. It wasn't working; if anything, my futile attacks edged him on, and I felt a third finger enter me as he quickened his pace.

"Rokuro, please, stop, it hurts, please…!"

I was sobbing now, the pain washing out any pleasure I had felt before. I couldn't get him to stop; my pleas fell on deaf ears. I kept struggling, but I was quickly losing energy and the pain was becoming unbearable. If I hadn't been bleeding before, I certainly was now. Rokuro's fingers were coated in blood as he ravaged me. The sight made me nauseous and I almost passed out again. Finally, in desperation, I reached out blindly. My hand hit his thigh, then slid towards his groin, and came to rest on his hardened member. Gripping him with my last ounce of strength, I tightened my fist around his erection and squeezed.

Rokuro let out a hoarse cry, a sound that may have been sexy had I not been writhing in agony. His hips thrusted forward once, twice, three times. He ripped his fingers out of my core, causing me to cry out in surprise. A jet of silky white fluid flew out of his member and landed all over my stomach and breasts. With a final moan, Rokuro collapsed, rolling over so that he was finally off of me.

Trembling, I slowly sat up, the tears and snot still running down my face. I prodded at my sore nether region, wincing as I watched the blood flowing steadily out of me. Glancing at Rokuro, who was snoring once again, I edged away from him and stood up. My legs shook, and I had to grab onto the wall for support. This shouldn't have happened. This was a mistake, it wasn't supposed to be like this. Fresh tears welled in my eyes as I watched Rokuro sleeping peacefully on the floor. He was my friend, my protector. We had fought together; we had each other's backs. He had changed me as a person; he had inspired me and given me hope when no one else could. If I had to be completely honest, I _loved_ him. Not as a friend, but as something more, something special. But now… I shuddered, looking away. I was afraid of Enmadou Rokuro.

Quickly, I snatched the forgotten towel off the floor, covering myself. Turning around, I half walked and half limped to my room, a sharp pain flaring in between my legs with each shaky step. I had just made it to the door when I heard Rokuro call out in his sleep.

"Benio…"

I paused. At the sound of his voice calling my name, the urge to cry hysterically and never stop overwhelmed me. As a waterfall of tears cascaded down my cheeks, I entered my room, slamming the door behind me.

That's it for now! Kind of a dark chapter, but I wanted to make this interesting and emotional (not just the straightforward "I love you let's fuck" crap). The real lemon will come up in chapter 3, which will hopefully be up soon. :)

-Crickets in the Background


	3. Chapter 3: In the Wake

_She was lying down on the bed, her hands lofty as she beckoned to me. The smile on her face could have been called innocent if it wasn't for the dark, lustful glint in her eyes. Silently, I crept towards her, my eyes sweeping over her nude body; her long, svelte legs… the curves of her hips… the uneven rise and fall of her bosom with each heated breath… she was perfection. As I approached, her toes curled in anticipation and I felt my breath hitch when she slowly spread her legs to reveal her glistening treasure. I raised my gaze to meet her's, our need for one another communicated without words._

 _Suddenly, I plunged myself into her, taking her hard and fast. I found it hard to breathe, overwhelmed by the tight, slippery warmth that enveloped me to the hilt. But I didn't have long to catch my breath; she was already squirming beneath me, digging her fingers into my shoulder blades as she pleaded for me to continue, tears of frustration dotting the corners of her eyes. I chuckled lightly, brushing a few stray strands of long, ebony hair out of her face. Her nails pressed harder into my back, an urgent whine escaping her throat as I gently caressed her face, taking my sweet old time. I paused briefly, basking in the waves of desire that emanated from the woman beneath me. Then I began._

 _I pulled almost the whole way out and then thrusted back in. Her back arched, a scream of pleasure escaping her sweet lips. I kissed her hard, swallowing each whimper as I continued pounding into her deepest depths. I groped at her blindly, trying to touch every portion of her porcelain skin at once. She mimicked my movements, her hands roaming the length of my back. We were still kissing, a battle for dominance that only ended when I thrusted particularly deep and she gasped with pleasure. It was a beautiful sound accompanied by a tensing of her inner muscles around my shaft that left me equally breathless. I picked up my pace, my thrusts becoming frenzied as I slammed into her repeatedly. Her legs were wrapped tightly around my waist, her own hips meeting my thrusts and I faintly heard her chanting my name as she tipped over the edge into oblivion. I was quick to follow, pushing hard into her as I came inside her. The strength in my arms left me and I collapsed atop her, the world fading around me as her name left my lips. "Benio…"_

I groaned contentedly as I woke up, my body still feeling the euphoric after-effects of sex. I opened my eyes slowly, expecting to see her lovely green irises staring back at me. Instead, all I saw was a sideways view of a wall. Still sleepy, I clumsily flipped myself onto my back, fully anticipating the bed I had fallen out of to be towering over me with Benio peeking over the edge. I smiled upwards, my gaze filled with adoration until I realized there was no bed above me. I frowned, waving my hands to either side of me in search of the leg of the bed. I found none. The euphoria was vanished, replaced with a growing realization and with it, panic. Where was Benio? What had happened when I was asleep?

I sat up, cautiously looking around. I was not next to the bed; in fact, there was no bed in sight. The dim room that I had spent the night in with Benio had been replaced with a hallway. It wasn't until I noticed the open door leading to the bathroom that I realized I was still in my own house. I continued to stare blankly at the bathroom, still completely confused about how I had ended up in this situation. Slowly, I began to remember… Benio passing out during the bath… My heroic attempt at carrying her out of the bathroom… And then our amazing night together.

My eyes narrowed. That last part didn't fit. I remembered the sex in vivid (very, very, _very_ vivid) detail, but I couldn't remember what led up to it. Surely Benio and I didn't just randomly do it; that would've been out of character for both of us. But I couldn't remember talking to her beforehand, couldn't remember the two of us deciding that this was what we wanted.

I groaned, but this time I wasn't content. The post-sex high was gone. My body felt stiff. I rubbed my shoulder, hissing in surprise at the rawness of my skin. A series of parallel red lines marked my shoulder. They were scratch marks.

Now truly alarmed, I examined the rest of my body. There were bruises here and there, most of them from my visits to Magano, but also a few that I did not remember. There were also more scratch marks on my chest and other shoulder. But what really bothered me was the semi-translucent fluid that was caked on part of my inner thigh. I knew instantly just what this substance was, and it seemed to confirm that my night with Benio _had_ happened. Yet… the scratches and bruises indicated that it might not have happened as I had remembered.

That's when I heard the sniffle. It was quiet, almost inaudible… and it came from Benio's room.

Quickly, I stood up and took several large steps towards Benio's room before remembering that I was butt-naked. I blushed faintly; Benio had seen me naked before, but I still couldn't shake the feeling of embarrassment. Then a more serious thought occurred to me. If I _had_ done something to Benio, and especially if I had done something I shouldn't have done, her seeing me naked might upset her even more. I spun around, dashing to my room and putting on a fresh T-shirt and pajama pants in record speed. A few seconds later, and I was standing right outside her door. Taking a deep breath, I knocked lightly.

"Benio? Are you awake? I thought I heard you crying…"

No response. I waited a good minute, but heard nothing. Maybe I had imagined the sniffle, maybe Benio was sleeping soundly and peacefully and the sniffle had been a hallucination. I held my breath, waiting for several more minutes. Just when I had almost convinced myself that the sniffle really was nothing more than a figment of my imagination, I heard a new noise through the door. This time, it was a choked sob.

I banged on the door. "Benio, I know you're in there. Please, just talk to me. I'm worried about you, I-"

"You're worried about me? After what you did to me?" On any other occasion, I would be shocked that Benio had abandoned her slow-spoken speech pattern. Yet, what struck me instead was the absolute coldness in her voice. It wasn't just ice, it was _dry_ ice. And man, did it sting.

"Yeah, I'm worried about you," I gulped, dread filling me as her words rang in my ears. "I don't really know what's going on but… did I do something to you? Did I… Did I hurt you?"

Now I was the one near tears, the prospect of harming Benio overwhelming me. If I had done what I thought I had done, what I had remembered doing… I closed my eyes and leaned against Benio's door as nausea suckerpunched me in the gut.

Benio didn't answer. The only sound was that of my hammering heart, an unsteady thud that beat deep in my ears.

"You don't remember? Nothing? At all?" Benio asked quietly, her words muffled by the door in between us.

I squeezed my eyes tighter, feeling the tears starting to roll down my cheeks. "I… I think I had a dream about you. About what I did to you. I don't know if it happened the way I dreamt it, but I think at least some portion of that dream really did happen... " I trailed off, unsure of what to say next. Despite the seriousness of the situation, I couldn't help but feel awkward trying to talk about my dream to the object of my affections.

Another long silence. I breathed deeply, trying to focus on taking air in and letting it out. The nausea was subsiding slowly, and I could both hear and feel my heartbeat evening out. I had been leaning against the door for so long, I was slowly falling asleep. The events of the night had worn me out, and I was fighting to keep awake when the door was fully opened, causing me to stumble and drop to my knees. Before me stood Benio in a very plain set of pajamas. Her expression was unreadable.

"What did you dream about?"

Alright guys, leaving ya on a cliffhanger. (Hohohoh, I'm so cruel ~)

\- Cricket


	4. Chapter 4: Resolve and Resilience

Sorry it took me so long to update, guys! College hits hard. Anyway, this chapter is also heavy, just as a heads up. Hope you enjoy! - Cricket

I couldn't look at him, so I kept my eyes trained about an inch above his head. Still, I was painfully aware of the fact that he was staring at me and my body tensed unnaturally. Part of me wanted to break down crying again and mourn the fact that I could no longer feel comfortable around the person I treasured the most. Yet, I wanted to know, I _needed_ to know. I swallowed hard, summoning up the courage to ask again.

"What did you dream about?"

Okay, so my voice might have broken a bit at the end and I may have spoken a bit quieter than normal (which means I practically whispered), but I knew he heard me by the way his eyes widened. I expected him to say something, either to tell me the truth or tell me a lie or tell me he didn't want to talk about it. I expected him to do something, either to get up off his knees and run for the hills or bow his head in shame or even just shift his weight a bit because his legs must be falling asleep after kneeling for so long. I expected and expected… But he did nothing. It was as if his whole being was frozen. He just sat there, staring at me with those wide eyes. I found myself fidgeting under his unyielding gaze. My eyes had wandered away from the spot above his head; with caution, I stared back at him, searching for something, anything. I began to think he really didn't hear me and I was about to ask for a third time when suddenly he came alive again, startling me as he replied:

"I dreamt about you. You… and me."

His voice was even, steady, but I could see the panic etched in his features. Although he was trying, Rokuro was anything but calm.

"Was it a good dream?"

The words slipped out before I could stop them and my hands twitched, tempted to cover my mouth, as if I could take the words back. Rokuro blushed at the question, his fair complexion reddening. It reminded me of how flushed he had been after the bath, how his skin had been coated in sweat as his body lay on top of me, as his hands kneaded me, as his fingers penetrated me, as he-

"Yeah. It was a good… _really_ good dream." His words broke me out of my trance as I snapped back to the present. He was staring at me, and this time I saw concern mixed with the panic. "Benio… Did I hurt you?" He spoke barely above a whisper, his voice breaking and my heart along with it. He looked so torn, so scared, so un-Rokuro.

I couldn't reply. A knot was forming in my throat and I knew that if I tried to speak another wave of hysterics would be unleashed. Instead, I looked down at my feet, squeezing my eyes shut in a failed attempt at keeping the tears at bay.

"Oh god… How bad? What did I do? Benio, talk to me, what did I do to you?"

The urgency in Rokuro's voice made me raise my head, tears streaking down my cheeks as I stared at his water-filled eyes.

"You…" My throat caught, and before I could stop myself, I fell forward, pressing myself into Rokuro's broad chest. He tried to catch me, tried to wrap his arms around me in a hug, but I pushed him away, throwing myself backwards and shuffling away from him. He crawled towards me and I kicked at him, gasping all the while.

"Benio, what-" He kept talking but I couldn't hear him. I was so confused. Part of me wanted to run into his arms and sob my heart out, part of me wanted to run out the door and never look back, and part of me kept reliving it him pinning me down him grabbing at me his fingers plunging into me the dead look in his eyes the-

"You hurt me I don't think you meant to it was like you were asleep and I couldn't wake you up and you just kept touching me and then you put your fingers in me and I bled and it hurt and I was so scared and-"

My words trailed off as I realized Rokuro had froze again. In the back of my mind, I was surprised that I could talk that fast and say that much at once. I briefly wondered if Rokuro was as shocked as I was. It turns out he was, but for a different reason.

"You… You bled? I made you bleed? I…" Rokuro stared at me and if my heart hadn't already been broken before, it surely would have shattered now. Before me was not the great Exorcist I had trained beside, not the courageously stubborn individual who never backed down from a challenge, not the person I admired and looked up to and loved. No, before me was a broken man. I had broken him.

"Yeah, I bled, but it's not that bad, I mean I'm okay now and-" I tried to backtrack, tried to reassure him, anything to get that look off his face. Anything to get back the boy I knew.

"Let me see." His voice trembled and I trembled with it, my hands instinctively protecting my chest. I couldn't show him, I couldn't be so exposed in front of him again, I couldn't-

"Please Benio, please let me see what I did to you."

He wasn't asking, he was begging, pleading. I sighed.

I can't really explain why I did it. Maybe it was the way he looked at me, with eyes that were just as broken as mine. Maybe it was the way he said it, in a voice so small and so soft. Or maybe it was because if I had refused I knew that he would never be the same boy that I loved ever again. He needed to see me just as much as I needed to show him.

I motioned for him to turn around. He did so without complaint. With trembling fingers, I shakily undid the buttons to my shirt. My top half completely exposed, I slowly slid off my pajama pants and underwear. Naked, I took a deep breath before I said in a steady voice, "You can turn around now."

Rokuro turned around almost as hesitantly as I had undressed. I could feel my face turning hot as his eyes scanned my bared body up and down. After a few moments of silently inspecting me, he raised his hand. I flinched, drawing back from him instinctively. He lowered his hand.

"Benio… I… I don't know what to say. Sorry doesn't even begin to… Oh kami, how could I have done this…" For the second time that night, Rokuro dropped to his knees. He silently shook, stifling sobs as he clenched his fists against the floor.

I watched him tear himself apart for a few moments before I knelt in front of him and gently placed my hand on top of his head. He didn't look up but his sobbing stopped.

"It's okay Rokuro. I forgive you." In that moment, I truly did forgive him. I knew that my forgiveness did not solve everything; I knew that there would still be moments where I feared him, where I was caught up in the memories. But seeing him destroy himself before me, I knew that I would have to forgive him if I ever wanted to move forward. If _we_ ever wanted to move forward.

His head snapped up at my words, a look of incredulousness on his face, "How can you, Benio? How can you forgive me for this? How can you-"

I cut him off, effectively finishing his sentence as I lightly pressed my lips against his. He pulled away slightly, but I grabbed the back of his head, deepening the kiss. After a tense moment, he relaxed. Cautiously, he raised his hand and cupped my face, and then kissed me back.

We spent the rest of the night talking and crying. By the time we fell asleep, my hand gently held between both of his, I knew that there would be more nights like these. Healing was a process, and we were nowhere near "better". But as I heard his breath even out into a peaceful sleep, as I felt the exhaustion settle in, I knew that whether or not we got "better", things between us would be okay. We would be okay.

I am not a victim of sexual assault, but I tried to write this chapter with the sensitivities of a sexual assault victim in mind. I hope that I did not offend anyone; everyone's healing process is different and this is by no means an accurate reflection of what sexual assault victims feel like. Originally, this was going to be the final chapter and include a lemon, but it's a heavy chapter and writing a smut scene right after so much emotion seems wrong. So, I might just end this story here, or I might write an epilogue chapter with a lemon. Depends on what you guys want. I feel like this story could be complete right now, but I could also continue it if you guys feel like it needs more. Just write me and lemme know what you think! Thanks! :)

\- Cricket


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